CVE-2014-3646: Medium severity linux kernel vulnerability
arch/x86/kvm/vmx.c in the KVM subsystem in the Linux kernel through 3.17.2 does not have an exit handler for the INVVPID instruction, which allows guest OS users to cause a denial of service (guest OS crash) via a crafted application.
Other sources
On systems with invvpid instruction support (corresponding bit in IA32VMXEPTVPIDCAP MSR is set) guest invocation of invvpid causes vm exit, which is currently not handled and causes unknown exit error to be propagated to userspace.
A local unprivileged guest user could use this flaw to crash the guest.
Acknowledgements:
Red Hat would like to thank the Advanced Threat Research team at Intel Security for reporting this issue.
— Red Hat
Affected Software
Remediation
Patch Available
Patch Available
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the severity of CVE-2014-3646?
CVE-2014-3646 is a high severity vulnerability that can lead to denial of service due to guest OS crashes.
How do I fix CVE-2014-3646?
To fix CVE-2014-3646, upgrade to an unaffected kernel version such as 5.10.223-1 or 6.12.12-1.
What systems are affected by CVE-2014-3646?
CVE-2014-3646 affects various Linux distributions, including specific versions of Debian, Ubuntu, and Red Hat Enterprise Linux.
What is the nature of the vulnerability in CVE-2014-3646?
CVE-2014-3646 is caused by the KVM subsystem failing to handle the INVVPID instruction, which allows crashes of guest operating systems.
Can CVE-2014-3646 be exploited remotely?
Yes, CVE-2014-3646 can be exploited by users within the guest OS to crash that OS through a crafted application.